SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Republic’s tourism industry grew 5.9 percent in March compared with the same month last year, and 1.1 million visitors arrived in the first quarter.

Tourism minister Felix Jiménez said last month’s arrival of Canadian and U.S. tourists grew 9 and 7.4 percent respectively, whereas flow from England, Belgium and Spain also posted growth.

The official said among Dominican Republic’s new tourism markets are Russians, Mexicans (12 percent), Ecuadorians (103 percent) and Peru (27percent). “In general, during the past month of March 389,075 nonresident foreigners arrived at the country by air.”

Eases stance on Tourism regulatory body

In another topic Jimenez suggested new proposals to ease his position on the bill creating the National Tourism Development Institute (Indetur).

Although the official defended the private sector’s involvement in Indetur’s Governing Board, he said the agency wouldn’t have the power to negotiate public debt.

The Tourism chief spoke in a press conference Monday afternoon after meeting for around 4 hours with the Chamber of Deputies Committee to study the bill, which forced the other representatives of the industry to hastily explain their views.